


Heartbeat

by Silverael



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Black Eagles Spoilers, Fluff, Golden Deer spoilers, Light Angst, M/M, Major Spoilers, Post-Timeskip (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 12:17:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverael/pseuds/Silverael
Summary: Another legend falls, and a new dawn rises on Fódlan once more.Byleth finds his heartbeat with Claude.





	1. Heartbeat (Claude PoV)

**Author's Note:**

> MAJOR spoilers for Black Eagles and Golden Deer ending! This is like a mix of the two.

“We did it…”

Claude breathes heavily. Failnaught grows heavy in his hand. The flames around him and his former professor continue to burn. They have slain the Immaculate One, Saint Seiros, or better known to them as Archbishop Rhea. It was all to end the Church of Seiros once and for all. First, they had defeated Nemesis, the King of Liberation, and finally put him to rest. Now, his arch-enemy lies dead before the two that defeated him. 

“I wonder,” Claude speaks, “how will historians refer to this day- huh?”

Byleth’s pained grunt is suddenly cut off by a barely audible sigh. He falls to the ground on his side. Claude drops his bow, immediately running to him and fearing the worst. He kneels beside the other man and turns him onto his back, gingerly holding Byleth’s head in his hand. 

The Sword of the Creator falls from its wielder’s hand. Its clink against the stone ground eerily echoes. Claude sharply gasps. He stares at the peacefully resting face of Byleth, concerned and hesitant. A memory from five years ago rushes back. Claude remembers the first time he had witnessed his professor collapse after awakening to the progenitor god’s power. Perhaps this is a simple repeat of exhaustion- even still, fear crawls down Claude’s spine, try as he may to ignore it. 

Claude lowers his ear to Byleth’s chest. He listens for a heartbeat, feeling his own heart racing. To his horror, he hears nothing. He slowly raises his head. Hope dares to bloom in his heart, even as he prepares himself for the possibility of his beloved teacher truly passing on. He hates how his eyes sting as they keenfully, desperately, look for any signs of life. 

A slight rise to Byleth’s chest. Claude’s verdant eyes widen. He refuses to blink, afraid that he was hallucinating. The thought is quickly chased out of his mind and he listens for a heartbeat within Byleth’s chest once more. 

His heartbeat is strong. It pulses with life. Claude only momentarily laughs in relief, lest the laughter turns into choked sobs. He brings Byleth into a tight embrace and buries his face into the crook of his neck. The brunette clings to him as if he could disappear at any time. 

Claude feels a hand on his shoulder. He pulls away and is surprised to meet familiar sapphire eyes. They beautifully gleam like the stars they so often observed together. Minty hair has returned to its former dark turquoise color. Claude’s surprise melted into delight at seeing a warm smile upon Byleth’s face. His heart squeezes at the sight. 

“I’m here,” Byleth softly reassures him. 

“Yes,” Claude agrees, bringing Byleth’s face closer and pressing his forehead to his. “you are.” He adjusts his hold on Byleth’s head so his thumb may make small, gentle circles on his cheek. Byleth happily hums and leans into his touch. 

This peaceful moment was enough for Claude to decide once and for all. Byleth is the man he wishes to walk alongside with into this new world.


	2. Heartbeat (Byleth PoV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another legend falls, and a new dawn rises on Fódlan once more.
> 
> Byleth finds his heartbeat with Claude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending spoilers for Black Eagles and Golden Deer still apply here! Read from Byleth's perspective below!

From the moment Byleth and Claude had dealt the final, decisive blow onto the Immaculate One, a strange sensation bloomed in Byleth’s chest.

They stand amongst the flames, expecting to be basking in their victory, but instead they are in awe of what they have done. Byleth swallows down the guilty lump forming in his throat. He knows that removing the Crest Stone on his heart would require the death of Rhea. Even still, she had done so much for him in the past. Not to mention Sothis, either. Will the progenitor god be gone forever, he wonders. 

The blackening of his vision halts his thoughts. Claude’s voice sounds distant despite being only a few feet away from him. The feeling in Byleth’s chest painfully pulses once. His knees buckle and he falls unconscious. 

Immediately, Byleth opens his eyes and finds himself in a familiar darkness. There is only him and the goddess sitting upon her throne. It has been just over five years since they had last seen each other. They stare at each other, pleasantly surprised at their meeting. The innocent moment passes much too quickly, as Sothis relaxes and patiently waits for Byleth to speak. He steps forward. 

“I’m sorry, Sothis,” Byleth begins to say, his gaze sorrowfully cast downwards. “I just-”

“There is no need to explain yourself,” Sothis gently interrupts with a raise of her hand. “I understand your heart just as I do mine, remember? You wish to be rid of your Crest. You do not wish to rule a church, but instead a united country.”

Byleth nods in confirmation. “It is selfish, I know. To rid a country of its goddess and former archbishop, all for my wishes.” 

Sothis shakes her head. “You still need to be comforted like a child, do you…? It is natural for you to feel this way. From the day you were born, your life was chosen for you. But through my passing, you will finally be able to live how you please.” The goddess stands from her throne and lifts her chin. “My time has long since passed. It is time for mortals to be freed from the influence of the goddess’s children. Return to them, Byleth. Lead them well. And live a good life, my friend.”

Tears sting in Byleth’s eyes, much to his surprise. He refuses to allow them to fall and stands strong. His knitted eyebrows tremble. A bittersweet smile forms on his face. His voice is shaky as he says, “Thank you for everything, Sothis.” 

Sothis smiles as well. She begins to dissipate into light green particles. Her throne crumbles. The darkness around them begins to crack, allowing for rays of light from an unknown origin to shine through. The light consumes Byleth and, within it, he hears a heartbeat. Feels a heartbeat. His own. 

Byleth’s eyes flutter open. His senses slowly begin to register what feels like a new world around him. The dark clouds above begin to part. The warm, dawning sunlight shines down on him and Claude. Claude, who has the slightest tremble in his arms as he is tightly embracing Byleth. The realization comes to him and Byleth’s newly found heartbeat quickens. He raises his hand and places it on Claude’s shoulder. The man tenses in surprise. A part of Byleth is disappointed when Claude lifts his head from his neck. 

“I’m here,” Byleth reassures the other man. A flurry of emotions unexpectedly flash in Claude’s eyes: pain, shock, relief, and adoration. Byleth has little time to question the last emotion he saw. He is pulled closer. 

“Yes…” Claude speaks.

They are close enough now that their foreheads touch and the tips of their noses brush. 

“...you are.”

The warm air of Claude’s low voice against Byleth’s lips sends a tingle up the latter’s spine. Claude cups his face and slowly rubs small circles on his cheek. In this fragile moment, the motion is tender and full of affection. Byleth melts into Claude’s touch and blissfully hums, his heart overjoyed and aching. There is no one else Byleth would rather be enamored by. His heart’s refusal to calm has only confirmed his powerful feelings for Claude. 

Hope blooms in Byleth’s heart for the future that he and Claude so desperately wish to see together. Now, they will be able to walk hand-in-hand into the second new dawn on Fódlan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was more of a self-indulgent work than anything. I saw Edelgard hugging Byleth in that ending cutscene and went, "Damn, I wish Claude and Dimitri could get that too!" Guess we'll have to settle for hand holding...


End file.
